Author
Topic: Bridge Ground on WM100 (Read 295 times)

I have just rewired this guitar. Unfortunately I think the bridge ground is no longer attached within the body of the guitar. I have a multimeter, but do not know of a test to determine whether the wire is grounded within the body. Is there one? If there is not can someone tell me where this ground is attached? I have seen videos on the Internet where people have used a piece of pvc and a bolt to "raise" the bushing out of the body. On this particular guitar there are four posts used for the bridge. I would rather not have to do this, but currently the amount of feedback coming from the guitar when I touch the strings is unacceptable.

This whole process may not be what is needed to reduce the noise. When I plug in one of my other electrics to the amp there is minimal noise. When I plug in the Washburn it creates horrendous feedback. If I clamp my hand over the strings there is no noise. When I fret the high strings (G, B, E) it sounds exactly the way it's suppose to. When I release the strings it goes right back to producing the problem sounds. Any thoughts?

Hmm. Well, first thought: there's a rather large different between "feedback" & "noise." The latter is usually used to describe mains hum (50 Hz or 60 Hz, depending on your region's electric service).

Sometimes feedback is caused by microphoning, one or more components witin the pickup vibrating too freely. However, this is NOT stopped by damping the strings; a microphoning pickup would squeal even with the strings removed.

It's possible that you are getting mains hum, & the room resonates at about that frequency, AND so does the speaker cone & the guitar, & this "perfect wave" is your problem.

If you can't figure it out, spend $100 on a Behringer Shark, which can knock out up to eight feedback points.________________

As for the ground... wow, you ARE new to this stuff. Set your VOM to continuity (or, failing that, to a low-ohmage resistance test). Touch one lead to a string, the other to the mounting nut of the output jack. If the needle moves, they are connected.

I have no idea what your bridge/tailpiece config is. However, I've seen every imaginable way to wire a ground. A two-screw vibrato had the ground wire in the hole of one of the mounting studs, apparently reasoning that there wouldn't be enough height adjustments to break the wire. The ground bus wire may be soldered on, or wrapped around a screw, or simply set under metal hardware before it's bolted down.